Joe
03/09/2010, Las Hardas

Two lovely young women came paddling by one sunny morning, their British accents chirping across the water. They were from a cruise ship, anchored for the day in Manzanillo, where of course we were too. Their kayak was yellow as a canary, and wearing bikinis and life-jackets and exclaiming all the while how wonderful and amazing was the boat, they clambered aboard.

We gave them a tour of the boat and they were just like a couple of kids! We had some chilled grapefruit juice and a had a lot of fun hearing about life on board the cruise ship. Rebecca, Ashleigh - I can't remember which of you was a hairdresser and which was a masseuse, I'm sorry! But we had such a good time talking and laughing with these new friends.

Eight days straight, twelve hours a day, that's sounds like a lot! But you enjoy it! Thank you for your visit. Life aboard is about meeting new friends, and we met two sweet friends that day. Stay in touch, bon voyage!

Comments [3] | | More

Joe
03/05/2010, Santiago bay, Manzanillo

There has been a slight change of plans: a few days delay before heading Northwest to Barra.

The reason is simple - Paul runs a charter business here and has a Raymarine technician flying in from the US to repair his defective electronics, under warranty; we have a Raymarine chartplotter with a defective zoom control - ours is under warranty too. He will be here on Monday, 8th March. most likely he will simply replace the unit.

So we wait. In the meantime, Adrienne bakes chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, and bread. I am completing the wiring installation of the GPS and another backup GPS, for position finding.

Bread's ready for tasting! I had better go.

Comments [1] | | More

Joe
03/03/2010, Heading Barra Navidad, then la Cruz

If you are wondering when we will head off from the North American continent and shape a course for French Polynesia, here is the the plan at this point:

Mid-April is our probable departure date. Maybe earlier, but mid April is fine. It will be from La Cruz, Banderras Bay, near Puerto Vallarta. Check it out on Google Earth! We will get to La Cruz around 12 - 15 March, sailing via Barra Navidad (leaving for Barra tomorrow), Tenacatita, Chamela, Ipala and around Cabo Corrientes into the huge Bahia de Banderras.

We are part of a large group, called the Pacific Puddle Jump - go to this link to see the fleet, a considerable number of yachts!

http://www.pacificpuddlejump.com/fleet.html

Then click any of the links within the web site to find out more.

Preparations and provisioning are underway already, many many things to consider, to make the boat seaworthy and safe and comfortable.

So - in a few hours, we will be underway en route for Barra Navidad, only 25 miles away. Sailing in company with 2 boats - Simple Pleasures and Con Te Partiro.

Picture shows Bluebottle on the way to Ecuador

Comments [2] | | More

Joe
02/27/2010, LAS HARDAS, MANZANILLO

It is now almost 1 o'clock local time, and the 2 hour period is almost done. We felt nothing, but the instruments registered a foot or so as it went by., about an hour and a half ago.

So - we had a bit of a sail, and are heading back to the anchorage. Coffee and cake finished. Most of the boats headed back 8in before us, but I was enjoying the quiet sail. Time to roll up the genny, and start the iron topsail.

all okay.

Comments [3] | | More

Joe
02/27/2010, LAS HARDAS, MANZANILLO

This morning during the Amigo net a tsunami warning was issued. An earthquake in Chile started the ball rolling. Most of the boats here in Manzanillo are lifting their anchors and heading out into deeper waters. The traffic on VHF radio is incessant. I just heard someone on the radio say he wants to feel the bump as it goes by. There is some discussion as to how far offshore you need to be,and how deep water you need.

We lifted anchor at around 9 am, about 2 hours ago. We are almost outside Manzanillo Bay, in 360 feet of water, it is sunny, with very little wind. the engine is running - charging the batteries, running the frig. All is well. Time for a little something, as Pooh Bear would say. Coffee and a cookie.

Let you know how it goes!

Comments [1] | | More

Joe
02/22/2010, Manzanillo, Mexico

THE ARCHED VOCALIST AND THE CROUCHED COP

You know, I was recalling a blog I posted a while back, I think it was when we were approaching the Mexican coast on our passage from Ecuador. You see I had suddenly noticed how a stand-up comedian was just a lay preacher who had stood up. A lay preacher conversely, a comedian tired of standing up. Now isn't it strange a comedian is defined by his or her stance? Could we have a reclining painter? A supine poet? A hunched thinker (Rodin has beat us to it)? What about a squatting opera singer, hurdling model, levitating photographer, dancing philosopher, pirouetting conjuror, leaping ventriloquist? Need we stop there? Could you imagine an arched vocalist, contracted violinist, lotus-positioned ukulele player, a pianist pointing, a novelist completely folded? My favorite is the spinning chorister.! The prone caricaturist. Or the floating blogger!.

What pose would the politician take up? Couched?

Occupations are funny, When someone asks you what you do, you hesitate, well usually I did, proud or ashamed of your occupation, or else you answer automatically, like filling in a form, or remembering your résumé in your sleep. So what DO you do?... clarinetist? ... tattooist? ... ukulele varnisher? Or seamstress, singer, soccer coach, seer? ... baker, booker, biker, bum? Waddaya do for a crust? Me dad used to say.

In my time, I've been a welder, singer, salesman, prop maker, musician, teacher, laborer, factory hand, taxi driver, carpenter, roof painter, restaurateur, handyman, licensed secondhand dealer and department store Santa Claus - and that's just the jobs I've been paid for. Looking back, I remember that I have also at times been a clown, a tree feller, signwriter, cartoonist, ceramicist, jewelery maker, artist, actor, writer, sculptor, sailor, house renovator, poet, mime artist, husband, boat repairer, the list goes on. I just couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to do in life so I just tried whatever I wanted to do at the time. In addition, I've been a charities event manager (that one was paid too), car mechanic, designer, photographer, instrument maker, filmmaker, kitemaker (paid), failed juggler and bullshit artist. A great reader of books and a philosopher too. Sometimes I've even been Myself. Oh, and a father of five wonderful children. What haven't I done? Tax accountant for one and historian for another. Historian I quite fancied to be. A great artist is what I wanted to be.

Now I don't really care about any of these ways of spending my day. I want to be a Happiest - that's a person who is happy ALL the time. None of the above can guarantee that, so I learn better how to do it by learning how to do it. Maybe I can learn from you. Thank you! Bless you, all three of you.



PS Appreciate your comments!
If you would like to read a piece I wrote when I had no boat, go to right hand column this page, click [Contents], go to:
08/23/2008 EKLEKTIKOS - A Dream

If you are interested in photos go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeblake/

Comments [2] | | More